A survey of 16,000 citizens found 93 per cent voted against female figures in crossing lights.

"I think some people have too much time on their hands", said Robert Doyle, Lord Mayor of Melbourne.

"It's a bunch of politically correct gesturing to make policy makers feel good about themselves", said Even Mulholland of Public Affairs. Ordinary people "are concerned about job security, rising crime and transport infrastructure," he said.

Citizen Simona Castricum criticised the idea as “tokenistic”. “The purpose of traffic signals is to let people cross the road safely", she said.

" I don’t know if we need our gender to come into that. And the idea that a woman wears a dress (is a) really outdated idea of what represents gender.”